The Boston Celtics were seen as the favorites out of the Eastern Conference last season. Once Jayson Tatum returned from his torn Achilles, they were seen as the team to beat. However, Boston was upset by the 76ers in the first round after blowing a 3-1 lead.
In the offseason, the Celtics made the surprising decision to trade Jaylen Brown. In return, Boston received Paul George. Most pundits around the league no longer view them as the favorite in the East. However, some writers believe they can be a surprise team.
Celtics Viewed as a Surprise Team in the Eastern Conference
David Aldridge of The Athletic believes that Boston could be better than people think this season. He thinks they can be the surprise team to come out of the East.
“They are getting Tatum back for a full, presumably healthy season. They took Robinson from the Knicks in free agency, not only hurting a division opponent but also shoring themselves up greatly with Robinson and Neemias Queta providing a strong one-two center punch,” Aldridge writes.
Aldridge also believes that Derrick White and Payton Pritchard will be better this year.
“Let’s assume (a fairly easy assumption, I’d say) a return to form from Derrick White this season, along with the usual solid contributions from Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and company. Boston has a trough of institutional memory of excelling in the playoffs, playing great defense and finding new people who become stars in their roles. You ignore the Cs at your peril,” Aldridge notes.
Tatum looked good in the regular season, but he was not able to sustain that in the playoffs. In fact, he had to sit out Game 7 of round one with an injury. If he can’t stay healthy, that will prove to be a big problem, especially without Brown to pick up the slack.
Injuries Could Derail Boston’s Attempt at Returning to Glory
How Tatum returns in his first full season coming off the Achilles tear isn’t the only thing to watch. George has played more than 56 games once since 2018-19. His inability to stay on the floor could play a big part in whether or not the Celtics are able to contend in the East.
George averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists last season. He missed 25 games due to a suspension for taking an illegal substance. Keeping him on the court and effective will be the only way that Boston is able to beat the other teams that got better in the East.
Last season, Boston had the second-best offense in the league. Without Brown on the roster, that will be hard to sustain. Still, Joe Mazzulla has shown that he can get the most out of his guys when they are underestimated. The Celtics can still win it all if things break right for them.
Celtics No Longer Viewed as East Favorites but Named as Surprise Contender